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Private investigators searching for missing child Madeleine McCann, have arrived in Aachen, Germany, where they are hoping to interview and obtain DNA samples from known pedophile Raymond Hewlett. Hired by Gerry and Kate McCann, the detectives are waiting to question Hewlett, aged 64, about Madeleine. Hewlett, who is recovering from throat cancer surgery in a hospital, is awaiting a decision from the Aachen public prosecutor about whether or not he has to take the DNA test. Hewlett, a convicted child rapist in the UK, was reportedly living in Praia da Luz, close to the McCann’s holiday apartment, at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance in May 2007. Once police have Hewlett’s DNA sample, they can make comparisons to unidentified samples that were collected from the McCann’s apartment at the time of the original investigation, in the hope that there will be a match. Speaking on behalf of the McCann family, Clarence Mitchell expressed the hope that Hewlett would co operate with their investigators. 'Mr Hewlett has denied any involvement in Madeleine's abduction. 'Our investigators hope he will co-operate by giving them whatever information is needed so they can eliminate him from the investigation.' Speaking out in defence of her husband, Marianna Schmuker said that he had nothing to do with the disappearance of Madeleine. After news emerged that Hewlett had been spotted outside the McCann’s apartment in Praia da Luz 'many times', she still declared him ‘innocent’ of any crime. Peter Verran, a new witness, has come forward with information about Hewlett, saying he had talked non-stop about the Madeleine story in the weeks following her abduction back in May 2007. Hewlett was living in an apartment in the Praia da Luz area at the time of the abduction, but had packed up quickly and gone to Morocco soon after Madeleine was discovered missing. Verran, a former Scots Guardsman, spent three months living opposite Hewlett in a Moroccan campsite, and said that he appeared to know a lot about the McCann’s and the resort where they stayed. Mr Verran, who had his family camping with him, had spoken to Hewlett about his concerns that police would mistake his child for Madeleine, since she bore a resemblance to the missing girl; Hewlett, however, had quickly replied that Madeleine was not in Morocco. Verran also spoke about noticing how much Hewlett seemed to know a lot about the Ocean Club complex where the McCann’s had been staying, saying that Hewlett had told him about going to the resort many times and how he used to park his van close to the McCann’s apartment. He said that Hewlett was almost boastful about his knowledge of the layout of the resort, the restaurant where the McCann’s had been eating and even the flat that Madeleine had disappeared from. Verran went on to say, 'He (Hewlett) said it was common knowledge among locals that Praia da Luz in general and the Ocean Club in particular was a magnet for Romanian gypsies who abduct and then traffic children. 'I asked him why he'd left and come to Morocco. He told me he'd had to leave Portugal in a hurry. 'He said he'd packed his family up in half an hour and just driven out of the area. That was just after Maddie was taken.' The McCann’s family spokesperson told reporters that although Hewlett is just one of many leads they are currently following, he is, 'a person of interest' to the investigation. Speaking from his hospital bed, Hewlett has strongly denied having any connection to the disappearance of Madeleine, saying, 'I've done nothing wrong - nothing, nothing.' June 2009 easyDNA provide full DNA testing services. For our full price list and more information please visit our website. |
